An elderly man, 82, and a woman, 60, stand accused of abducting and subjecting a woman to torment for a period spanning five years.
The victim, aged 45, was reportedly held against her will in Saint-Molf, situated in France’s Brittany peninsula, by her housemate and the housemate’s partner. French media sources indicated that the victim was described as “psychologically vulnerable” and was rushed to the hospital suffering from hypothermia.
Nantes prosecutor Antoine Leroy disclosed that the victim was coerced to reside either in the garden or a garage connected to the residence where the accused couple lived.
The woman managed to flee when the man was engrossed in watching television, escaping from her confined space. She sought help by knocking on a neighbor’s window while scantily clad, revealing that she had been confined for five years.
The victim recounted that she initially shared the house with another woman until the man entered the picture. Subsequently, she was exiled to live outdoors in the garden, a tent, or the attached garage. Authorities corroborated her account upon searching the premises.
Frequently, the alleged victim was confined in the garage, forced to sleep under dire conditions on a deckchair, as disclosed by the prosecutor.
She endured deplorable living conditions, resorting to using a potty or plastic bags for bodily functions and consuming porridge mixed with dish soap, all while being prohibited from leaving.
According to the prosecutor, the victim vanished from public knowledge around April 2022, coinciding with her divorce. Her bank accounts showed minimal activity, only when substantial sums of money were transferred to the accused pair, as reported by LeParisien.
Both the man and woman were apprehended at the close of the preceding week and have reportedly confessed to the fundamental allegations, albeit attempting to downplay their severity.
The duo faces charges of kidnapping involving torture or cruel acts, carrying a potential sentence of life imprisonment. Additionally, they are accused of exploiting a person’s psychological or physical vulnerability and abuse of a vulnerable individual.
While the man was placed under judicial monitoring, the woman was remanded in custody.
